More than 150 classic cars destroyed in fire at Illinois dealership

More than 150 classic cars were damaged or utterly destroyed after a fire broke out at Country Classic Cars in Staunton, Illinois. Thankfully, it seems most of the cars residing in the facility were for sale, meaning owners aren't mourning the loss of their classic metal. Still, it's an unfortunate event.

The Telegraph reports firefighters were called to the blaze around 8:10 p.m. on August 8th. By the time first responders had arrived, the blaze had already engulfed a major portion of the 510-foot long by 50-foot wide building. Firefighters say a quarter of the structure was already on fire when they arrived.

The flames continued to spread, only to go unchecked when firefighters ran out of water to battle the blaze. Around 100 firefighters from 13 different departments eventually responded and mutual-aid tankers arrived. Due to the classic-car dealerships' rural location, the nearest fire hydrant was a mile away.

A quick search of Country Classic Cars' inventory shows a variety of vehicles offered for sale. They ranged from vintage 1920s automobiles to low-mileage Japanese imports and American muscle cars. It's unclear which vehicles were destroyed in the fire. Fire officials say the vehicles housed inside the facility certainly fueled the fire as fuel, cloth, and rubber ignited.

Now, officials will attempt to decipher from where the fire originated, though it may prove difficult since the blaze was so far along and extensive by the time firefighters arrived on the scene.